Spirit of Discovery is a luxury boutique cruise ship built by Meyer Werft for British shipping company Saga Cruises.
It is designed to replace Saga Pearl II cruise ship, which has been operating for more than 28 years.
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The keel-laying ceremony of Spirit of Discovery was held at Meyer Werft’s shipyard in Papenburg, Lower Saxony, in June 2018. Delivered in June 2019, the vessel was named by the HRH The Duchess of Cornwall in July 2019.
Spirit of Discovery is a sister ship to the Spirit of Adventure, which is due for delivery in 2020.
Spirit of Discovery cruise ship design and features
The small luxury cruise ship provides more space with different accommodation facilities and restaurants.
The ship has a length of 236m, beam of 31.2m and gross tonnage of 58,250t. It has the capacity to accommodate 999 passengers and 523 crewmembers.
It offers free Wi-Fi, entertainment, and 24-hour room service. A shuttle bus service from the port to the nearest town centre will be offered.
Spirit of Discovery cruise ship deck layout
The Spirit of Discovery cruise ship features a total of ten decks. Deck one, or the main deck, houses the Grand Dining Room, The Living Room, and Aqua Spa.
Deck two or Promenade deck features the playhouse, gallery, club, and Saga World.
Decks three to seven house all the accommodation facilities, while deck eight or Lido deck, features restaurants.
Deck nine, or Sun deck, features an outdoor games area, gym, and accommodation cabins. The top deck is the observation deck, which has a court for playing racket and other sports.
Accommodation on board Spirit of Discovery
The cruise ship has 555 cabins, each with a balcony to provide private space for guests both inside and outside. The standard balcony cabin has a floor area of 215ft², while the deluxe cabin has an area of 245ft² and suites are 730ft².
The ship also has 109 single cabins in configurations such as single suite, deluxe single, superior single, and standard single. Other accommodation options include aft, forward, and mid-ship suites, as well as twin deluxe and standard twin.
Cabin interiors have a contemporary classic British design. Standard facilities include refreshments, a large seating area, and daily newspaper.
Dining and entertainment venues
Spirit of Discovery offers a wide range of restaurants along with five world-class restaurants with specialty food and wines.
The Grand Dining Room is the venue for à-la-carte cuisine, which is served at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Passengers can enjoy live music and cocktails at The Club by Jools, which serves starters and mains such as soups, lobster, and surf n turf fillet.
The Grill restaurant combines Verandah and Grill restaurants into one, serving a buffet at lunchtime and dishes ‘à la minute’ in the evenings.
East to West restaurant serves innovative Asian cuisine, including sizzling beef fillet in Balinese sauce and blackened tilapia with fennel.
Coast to Coast seafood restaurant offers a modern dining experience in the evenings. It also offers British and locally sourced fish, shellfish and other fruits de mer.
On-board entertainment facilities include The Spa with a hydrotherapy pool, which is situated beside the steam room and infrared sauna. It also has five private areas, exercise classes, and one-to-one fitness sessions.
The library offers a wide range of fiction and reference books. It is equipped with an open kitchen to offer complimentary tea, coffee and cakes. The craft area is situated adjacent to the library and offers free classes and workshops.
Spirit of Discovery itineraries
Spirit of Discovery will embark on her 13-night inaugural voyage from Dover, UK, in July 2019 and travel to areas around the country, including Orkney and the Channel Islands to Newcastle, Belfast and Liverpool.
The ship will then sail on 14-night Gourmet Spain trip in August 2019, covering popular destinations in the country. It will then embark upon a 15-night Natural Scandinavia trip later in the month.
It will also cruise on a 35-night Fairy Tale of New York voyage across the Caribbean, the US and Bermuda in December 2019.
